12
Jza buried her face in the soft material and exhaled. Behind her the glass was still tinkering as the multiple layers of chandelier dismantled slowly after the explosive beginning and settled into the ground. This was a dramatic turn of events and the Princess willed her heart to slow down. She was content to lay there trying to get her bearings when she heard another dull sort of thudding sound. She raised her head up realising it was Tarquin's heartbeat.
The man stared back at her with a shocking lack of expression. Was that his default expression she wondered before shaking her head. No, she had seen enough of him to know he was a master at hiding what he felt. She pushed herself off him and surveyed the destruction behind her. The chandelier was a beautiful mangled mess. Jza brushed off remnants of the glass on her person.
"You seem to have gotten more accident prone of late," Lord Tarquin was up on his feet in a heartbeat while she still struggled to straightened her skirts. He watched her endeavours to get on her feet blandly. Behind them multiple guards ran into the room with varying expressions of shock.
"Accident prone? That doesn't seem like an accident at all. If I were a betting person I would think someone just tried to kill you," Jza asserted.
"Kill me? It would be best if you keep away from gambling since you would lose quite poorly. It was not I who came under an entire book shelf, recently."
"Surely you don't think-" Jza was cut off with a sneer.
"Take her back to the quarters," The man ordered and like an unruly child she was walked back to their rooms. The last thing she heard was him angrily growling orders in his own language.
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Jza woke up gradually. Her head felt heavy but a soothing pressure nearly lulled her back to sleep when her eyes sprang open. Was that a hand on her head? The Princess found herself reclining squarely in the middle of the bed with two pillows propped under her head. She looked around and found Lord Tarquin lounging on an uncomfortable chair a comfortable distance away from her.
"When did you come back? You should have woken me up?" The Princess glanced at the curtains and realised it was night time already. How long had she slept for? She certainly had spent a great while pacing in her rooms before feeling completely drained and deciding to take a nap. She noticed an untouched plate of food on one table.
"That's the least I can do for you after what you did today. What do you want from me?" Prince Tarquin said, curtly.
"Pardon?"
"Your services must have a price. Everyone must have one. Other than freedom what do you want?"
Jza's brown eyes travelled to his throat. The chain around his neck dangled down to his chest hidden from view even in the informal outfit he only wore in their rooms. Both of them knew what she would ask for.
"No, I cannot allow you to have the locket either."
"Why? It has no significance whatsoever," Jza lied, "I do not understand your fascination with a meaningless bit of jewelry."
"You will run the moment you get it. I cannot allow for that to happen."
Jza nodded and conceded defeat. That was exactly what she would do although she wanted to ask why he even needed her presence. To him she was of no value. She did not know any military secrets, nor did he know her true identity. Her presence only caused him difficulty if she was honest. He spent much time making sure she wasn't dead on his watch.
"Then you could do me a favour and be less of a brute. It is not befitting your station in any case," Jza glared at the man. After all it had been his wandering hands that led them to quarrel before the chandelier fell. She had thought him an improved man after his initial introduction but apparently that was not so.
"Oh, ho, you think you know what a man of my stature should behave like," Tarquin laughed.
"Yes, you have a duty to your nation. They will want someone to look up to."
"I do not really care what they think of me," Tarquin's apathy was extensive.
"Handling a noble lady is a skill you should learn for the sake of your future wife. No Lady of quality would be wooed by wandering hands. You would only be left with the ones who's own moral values are very low. Have you not be taught so? Your tutors should have been vigilant," Jza implored.
"How should I know how to treat a noble women? I was raised in the Harem. I have known only but a few noble women," Tarquin's throat worked as he stood abruptly, "Enjoy your meal. I have already tasted it. It's rather good."
The man left the rooms in a flurry without so much as a look.
Jza watched the doors closing shut and placed her head on her knees a few moments later. Somerluians were very strict about their women folk. Like the man had informed her earlier the men kept the true and proper wives and women away from the Harem. It was not possible for a prince to grow up in the Harem unless his father was begetting sons left and right with his playthings. Was he a bastard? Was that why he looked different from his subjects? Was that also why he had to kill his father to get the throne. The proper Somerluians would never let a Bastard much less a half Barbarian bastard lead them so how did all of this come to be.
In all this confusion she forgot to eat once again.
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The Princess sat primly among the guards awaiting her turn to meet Lord Tarquin in his office. He had called for a meeting with her and she had obliged. She could hardly say no thought the illusion of choice was appealing. He could have asked her to give him the full list of Ball related items in his rooms but he had disappeared since the day of the chandelier accident. He would barely make an appearance once in a while but it seemed he had decided to make the Harem's rooms his permanent abode.Was it because she had scolded him about propriety or because he did not want to face her after his revelations of his upbringing, she did not know.
A guard motioned for her to follow him.
The rooms she entered were neat even though they were full to the brim with parchments, lists and maps. The desk was not the one her father had used but another set up in a grander fashion with carved feet and curved, gilded edged. It contained many locked drawers and she imagined space for hidden compartments. It seemed Lord Tarquin kept his personal belongings close by.
She looked down at her extensive notes, waiting for the man to make an appearance when suddenly her attention was caught by something in the corner of her eye. She looked towards it and was faced with an image she had never seen before. Right in the middle of the panelling sat a portrait of a girl holding an arrow. The sun streaked through the middle where the bow and arrow met.
It was her.
Painted in broadstrokes with fetching greens and browns swirling around her image it could be no one else. The artist must have been inspired when she won the archery competition against the commander. There was no title under it although she wondered maybe it had been removed. Her heart was in her throat and she nearly crashed in the Lord who had finally made his appearance. He smiled at her terror.
"Did you think I would stop trying to find out who you are."
"You still do not know my name," Jza guessed. If he knew he would have wasted no time in addressing her with it.
"True, but for how long? I have my ways."
"Is that why you called me here, to see your triumph," The Lady was incensed at his games. He had hung her portrait where every one of his senior staff could see. She wondered if they could recognise her since her bruises were taking time to fade.
"I never thought you were the vain sort," The man hummed ignoring her fury. He sat down behind his desk languidly.
"I did not know any likeness of me existed."
"These are not the only ones," The Lord stated watching her closely.
"Truly?" Jza was stunned. She had never seen anything of the sort. How stupid had she been to imagine the multitude of artists under King Samuel were not capturing her every move. Had some silly fool placed a false version of her with the Royal family?
"Yes, but first we need to go over the workings of this ball. The dates are getting closer," The man switched the subject with the finesse of a blind cat.
"You are more determined to hold a ball than a mama with a spinster daughter,"Jza allowed him the change in topic.
"I need to show my might to both the Gordians and the Somerluians. I shan't let them doubt me any longer.
